To Be Close
by Only We Know
Summary: Edward has been working late hours at the hospital. Bella is fed up. What's a girl to do?
1. It's The Waiting

I close my eyes and sink deeper into the bath.

Warm, steamy, wet all over my skin, sighing, I let my head roll back.

This is just what I need, relaxation. That is until Edward gets home from the hospital. He's been so busy lately and I hate that I have nothing to do during my evenings except wait for him.

I never used to be so impatient.

I'll admit I was spoiled back in college, with mom paying for everything from books to my tuition. "As long as this money is going somewhere, just do your best" or "try your hardest" how about "keep your head in your books!" But my head was looking around, for other things, something more enticing than my schoolwork. Looking for _him_, and boy did I find him: Edward Cullen, in my English literature class with bronze hair that I wanted to run my fingers through, which I have on numerous occasions. Renee was right about one thing, college was worthwhile. Oh well, I've thanked her haven't I?

Anyway, back to the present.

Me, sitting in the tub waiting for Edward when I hear it – the dreaded phone call that will tell me the worst news any doctor's wife wants to hear.

Lazily, I climb out of the tub, not caring for the water and bubbles sloshing out of the sides. Not even caring for the towel I folded on the toilet seat, I head straight for the bedroom towards the phone. It's on the nightstand, good.

"Hello?" In my cheeriest voice.

"Bella, look, I'm sorry honey I –"

Sigh. "I know how this is going to go," Ugh. This time he didn't even start it on a good note.

"What?"

"What, what?" He can be so infuriating at times, just say it. Tell me again.

"You know how what is going to go?" Oh no. Did I say that out loud? Oh well, he's my husband he has a right to know what I'm thinking. They should right that somewhere: _Husband shall know what loving wife thinks at all times._

"Just say it, tell me that you'll be coming home late again. Working hard, I suppose?" I hated to leave it hanging like that, with implications. He didn't deserve it.

"Now what's that supposed to mean? I don't like it anymore than you do so don't just – "

"So don't just what? Don't complain, don't make you feel bad, don't be unreasonable?! Well I'm sorry but in marrying you I thought I'd actually be getting to spend some time with you after the honeymoon!" There, I said it. I miss you, I'm lonely, I need you. I want you and I love you.

"Bella, honey I… I don't know what to do here…one sec hon," Oh yeah, now he's all sugar. I wish I hadn't said anything. I don't want him to feel guilty, but I also knew I'd be able to hear his velvet voice say Bella. I like it. I love it when he says my name.

Waiting, waiting. I am impatient.

"I have to go, I have to take this on-call. I'll see you in a bit, I love you."

The line disconnects. I know you do.

Time is measured differently by doctors. An hour is a second in their time.  
Or maybe it's me, maybe every second without Edward feels like an hour, either way I'm impatient. And I am selfish.

It took being without him for me to figure it out.

* * *


	2. Obligations

I always was a good cook, if I do say so myself.

Cooking for Charlie for those three years in high school really did help me out and now that I think about, I enjoyed it. Great, now I'm full of pasta, lonely and bored. I put Edward's pasta in the fridge; he can warm it up himself for all I care. Cold dinner, the ultimate revenge. I wish he was here right now, he'd laugh at my eagerness or maybe he'd be annoyed. I wouldn't mind.

That crooked cocky smile he gets when he knows the right answer, or when he knows what's on my mind, or when I'm trying to purposely hurt his feelings or when he wants to annoy me. I think he knows that I like it.

I'm lying on this big bed with no one except me. I wonder what Edward would do if he were here right now. I imagine his hands all over me, touching, teasing, feeling. I need him now, more than ever.

After the phone call I kind of just went on with it. I let out the bath water, pulled on his clothes and made food and sat around the house all day. The stinging in the back of my eyes wouldn't go away and my face was probably all red. I don't know why I feel like this everytime _the call_ comes in. It's not the first time.

Slowly and evenly, I let my fingers trail down from between my breasts to the rim of my pants. I haven't had to do this in a while.

Stop Bella. Immediately. Why should I have to do this, Edward should be here, doing this for me! Another, the meaner part, of my brain reminds me that he's not here. And no matter how much I wish he were, it's just me in this big bed, alone, thinking about what he'd do_ if_ he were here.

My fingers trail lower, towards my center - of their own accord. I realize I'm not wearing any underwear, just his boxers. Not a bra, just his button down work shirt. I bought them for him, I like black on him. It's a contrast to his pale skin, to his bronze hair. It's sexy. I feel sexy in them, I feel like he's here.

My fingers reach their destination and I shiver. It feels so good, I smell him all around me. My legs bend and spread apart, willing him to enter me, to take me; again and again and again. I'm lying flat on my back. I feel my core start to pulse, I'm damp and I need Edward to make it better. I close my eyes and he's there, looking down on me with that way that only he knows. It makes me wetter and invisi-Edward smirks. Mmm, I want to see that smirk again. It's gone. I open my eyes.

I'm becoming undone. This is silly.

Edward. It's his duty, an obligation of sorts.

I'll crawl under the sheets and wait for him to come is all.

It won't take long because doctors measure time differently.

* * *

**AN:_ Read and review, tell me what you think._**

**Hm, I wonder when Edward will get home... **

**His tardiness is almost rude, grrr. **


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